Playing With Knives
by CrazyDaisy456
Summary: A story of the life of Clove and how she became to be the girl we know. I suck at summaries. Oneshot, rated T for safety. Please read and review!


**CrazyDaisy456 here! This is my first fanfic so read and review! Flames accepted! OneShot. The story of Clove and her sort of obsession with knives. 3****rd**** person, and I think I have a problem with switching tenses, but I'm working on it. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. **

Playing with knives.

_Clove, Age 5._

Clove Stanton was sitting on the worktop of the kitchen while her Mother washed the dishes. A glinting metal object shone through all the bubbles and she was curious. She picked up the heavy object by its handle and spun it around her wet fingers.

"Clove Honey, don't play with knives. They're dangerous. Who knows what could happen. Now go

play with your dolls like a good girl. Okay?" Her mother said. Clove scowled as her mother lifted her off the counter. Clove hated her dolls. She would much rather spin that knife round and around her fingers. Her mother didn't know that. Yet.

_Clove, Age 7_

Clove was looking at her homework for the day. It was: Which weapon will be your master weapon in the Training Camp? Clove had a whole three years to go, but district 2 wanted to train them early. The school had a class on The Hunger Games once a week. It started this year, in second grade, until sixth grade, where everyone will start proper training. Clove was going to win, if she entered, which she will. Her sister won it last year, aged eighteen. She was going to follow in her sister's footsteps. Clove ticked the Knife box when her brother walked in.

" Don't play with knives, Clove, a sword is much better. Clean kill without the possibility of losing valuable weapons," Cicely, Her brother, said. He was eighteen and volunteering this year. Her sister, Harissa, walked in and spoke up.

"He's right, Clove. Knife throwers never have much of a chance as swords. Even then an axe would be better. So much more power. Swords are so cliché," She said.

"No, swords are better," Cicely said.

"Axes,"

"Swords!"

"Axes!"

"SWORDS!"

"AXES!"

"Fine, have an axe if you want to be District 7!" Clove knew this was a low blow from her brother. In District 2, It's a massive offence to call someone a person from a poorer district.

" You take that back!" Harissa screamed.

"NO!" Cicely screamed back.

"Shut up! I want to use knives! And that is my choice! And I will win the Hunger Games, no matter what you say. I will. I WILL!" Clove screamed.

"Suit yourself, Target practice," Cicely hissed. She hated when he called her target practice.

" Ooo, I'm scared, pretty boy. Are you going to run crying to your diamond mirror, Cicely, or should I say Sparkle, as with a weapon like that, you would belong in District 1. All flash, no gash," Clove said to her brother. Harissa laughed.

"You can laugh, or do you have trees to chop?" Clove said as she walked out to finish her homework in peace.

_Clove, age 12_

It was her first day at the Training centre. After her Brother's victory in his Hunger Games, Clove was going to win. Cicely was not going to call her Target Practice anymore. She walked in with the Other sixth Graders into a room filled with deadly weapons. She spotted the knife section and smiled. When the sixth graders split up to the sections they chose, Clove ran straight to the knives and picked one up. She was about to pick one up, when a voice behind her said:

"Aren't you a little young to be playing with knives?" Clove was annoyed. She was small for her age, and sensitive about her height. She turned to see who said that. A boy, about sixteen, was leaning against a pole. He had blonde hair, blue eyes and she knew exactly who it was. Cato Vincent, one of the up and coming Careers. He was known around for his immense attitude, strength, and ego.

" Age is but a number, if you know what they are," Clove said. He was known for being a bit...simple, too.

"Hmph. Well let's see if you can throw as well as you can talk," He said, standing up properly and walking over to Clove. He was a good foot taller than Clove, but she wasn't cared. She was Clove, and She was fearless. She threw a knife and it land dead centre of the dummy.

"Not bad, for a beginner," Cato said. Clove was not a beginner. She had practiced every day until she was seven in the backyard, with the knives in the kitchen. Her Brother taunted her, and her parents were too busy living their lives to notice their third child.

"I could do just as good as you, Blindfolded," Clove said. Cato picked up a knife and threw it lazily ta a dummy. It hit the centre. Clove shut her eyes, and imagined the target. When she opened them, the dummy was skewered at the centre, and Cato's mouth was catching flies.

"For the love of Panem, Cato, Close your mouth," I said, thrusting my knives into his arms to hold as she went to take a shower.

_Clove, age 14_

Clove walked into the training centre and immediately set her eyes on the knives. She was standing with Cato, Glimmer and Marvel. Cato was Cato, Marvel sounded incredibly stupid and Glimmer, well, Clove thought Glimmer was as deep as a puddle. After the briefing that Clove took no notice of, Clove and the careers went round each of the other's main weapons to watch what they could do. Marvel was pretty good at a spear, Cato was as good as he always is with a sword, but Glimmer was terrible at the bow and arrow. She couldn't hit the target once.

"Glimmer, are you sure a bow is your thing?" Clove asked coldly, with a sneer.

"Of course, you wouldn't see me with a knife, they're the worst weapon there is,"

"Oh really, well, at least with a knife I could actually hit the target. When you're with a bow and arrow, I'd be more scared if you were aiming for the person next to me!" Clove sneered. If looks could kill, Clove would be dead. But so would Glimmer.

"Let's go to the knife throwing range!" Said Cato quickly, putting his hands on Clove's shoulders and turning her to the knives. She saw Marvel do the same thing with Glimmer, and heard her talking to Marvel.

"She's only fourteen, for Panem's sake. She's too young to be playing with knives!" Clove heard Glimmer say. Clove tensed up, ready to turn around and kill Glimmer, when she felt Cato's grip on her shoulders tighten to stop her.

"Ignore them, Clove. They'll respect you soon enough," Cato said. Clove relaxed slightly.

_Clove is 15, in the arena_

The careers and Peeta were waiting under the tree that Katniss was in. Cato and Glimmer had failed. Clove was so annoyed Katniss slipped away at the cornucopia, but she was slightly thrilled that Glimmer had failed miserably to kill her. They were waiting around a campfire, Marvel was examining his spear, and Glimmer was leaning on and flirting with Cato. Clove was annoyed with this, but she didn't know why. She was flinging knives into a lizard to channel her energy. Lover boy was looking at Katniss, who was hiding in a tree.

"Stop playing with knives, Clove, it's annoying," Glimmer whined.

" I know how to stop your whining," Clove said, drawing a knife and turning to face Glimmer, But Cato got in the way. 'Move Cato, or I'll have to kill you too!' Clove thought.

" Stop fighting Girls! Save it for Katniss, or else I'll kill you, just to shut up" Cato exclaimed.

"Yes, Cato, " Clove and Glimmer said, like they had been told off by a teacher.

"Cato's right. We need to sleep if we can kill her up there tomorrow," Marvel said.

_The next day:_

"RUN! TRACKER JACKERS!" Cato screamed as he picked up his sword and ran. Clove slept in her knife so she ran straight away, along with Marvel and Peeta. Glimmer wasn't so lucky, slowly dying from the stings.

"CATO! HELP!" Glimmer screamed, but Clove knew he wouldn't go back. He was in front of Clove, and she was slowing down. The venom was starting to take effect. The cannon went off, and Cato looked behind to see Clove starting to stumble.

"Clove! You can do this!" Cato shouted, looking behind him.

"I...can't...venom...weak," Clove said, stumbling with the Tracker Jackers close behind, like a deadly curtain. Suddenly, Cato lifted her up and ran to the lake. Clove felt the weight of the jacket lifted and the relief of the water.

"Cato, why?" Clove asked.

"I...couldn't bare to see you die. You're strong, Clove," Cato replied.

_Clove is 15, just after Thresh hit her with the rock_

"CATO! HELP!" Clove screamed.

"Clove! I'm coming!" Cato replied. Clove heard footsteps coming closer and her head was gently lifted up.

"Cato, am I...dying?" Clove asked, drifting in and out of focus.

"Just stay with me Clove, Don't close your eyes," Cato replied. Clove felt dizzy and sleepy.

"I'm going to get Thresh for this," Cato said.

"Cato...caring? I never.. thought I'd ...live to...see...the day. Are you...crying?" Clove asked, feeling sleepier and sleepier.

"Clove, I love you," Cato said, weeping.

"I love...you...too, Cato," Clove said, just before she closed her eyes for good.

'I should never have played with knives, mother, look where it got me' Clove thought when a cannon went off in the mortal world.

**Thank you for reading! I am pro Clato and it kind of shows...Never mind, Please read and review!**

**CrazyDaisy456**


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